Manufacture of artificial staple fiber



Dec. 4, 1934.

w. TAYLOR MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL STAPLEFIBER Filed Dec. 12, 1951 Attorneys Patented Dec. 4, 1934 imirso STATES M 1,983,326 v MANUrAcruaE or ARTIFICIAL STAPLE mm William Ivan Taylor, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application December 12, 1931, Serial No. 580,637 In Great Britain February 4, 1 31 19 Claims.

to acquire a curved set, are subsequently cut from the rods to form staple fibers having a permanent curl by reason of the curvature of the rod. The invention is of particular advantage in the case of thermoplastic filaments; such as artificial filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose. When such fila= ments are used the rod may conveniently be heated to render the filaments soft, so that they will set in the curve into which they are wound.

A number of filaments may be wound simultaneously on to the rod, e. g. as a twisted or untwisted thread as produced in the normal operation of spinning the filaments.

The invention may be carried out as an intermittent process, the filaments being wound on to the rod till the rod is covered therewith, at which time the rod is stopped, and the filaments are cut ofi in the form of staple fiber. While it is necessary however that the filaments should remain wound on the rods for a sufiicient period to impart the desired set this period may be very short, so that the filaments may be cut from the rod substantially immediately after they have been wound on. In view of this fact it is preferred that the winding and cutting or: of the filaments should ,be carried out as a continuous operation. This may be done, for example, by winding the filaments on to a hollow rod of, say, or more in diameter, having a slot along its length communicating with the hollow interior, the said slot being adapted to accommodate a knife passing from inside the cylinder to the outside. The knife is carried upon a small rod inside the hollow rod and is rotated on the said small rod at the same rate as the hollow rod. The filaments are fed on to the surface of the hollow rod by means of a traversing guide, and the knife is traversed behind the guide along' the length of the rod by a reciprocating 0 motion imparted to the small rod inside, thereby cutting off the filaments in the form of staple fiber as fast as they are wound on. It is pres ierred, in order to utilize the traverse in both directions, to use two 'knives, mounted on the same rod inside the hollow rod, and passing through the same slot in the surrace oi the hollow rod, the blades of the knives facing one another.

With such an arrangement one knife traverses the length of the rod in lead of the traversing guide, whilethe other follows the guide and cuts on the filaments which the guide has led on. On returning along the traverse in the reverse direction the first knife lags behind the guide and cuts off the filaments, while the second proceeds in lead of the guide.

The filaments may be wound on to the rod under tension, which tension may be of anydegree desired, in order to cause the filaments to take the curl of the rod more readily. For this purpose the filaments may be passed through a tension device consisting of staggered rods, which may be disposed in the manner of a gate tension device to impart an adjustable tension to the filaments, or the filaments may pass round a braked drag roller, which is rotated by nonslipping contact with the filaments, so imparting the necessary tension to rotate the roller. The degree of tension applied to the filaments may be so great as to produce a permanent elongation due to stretching, resulting in a reduction in the denier of the filaments and in the production of fine staple fibers. The removal of the staple fiber cut from the rods may be efiected by means of suction devices or air blowers, thefibers being led directly, or through suitable trunks to a container. Alternatively, the fibers may be allowed to drop into a container beneath the heated rod.

For the production of staple fiber of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose, the rod on to which the filaments are wound may be heated in any convenient manner. Thus, for example, it. may be heated by means of electric heating elements contained inside the hollow rod, or by circulating hot oil, air, water, or steam inside the hollow rod, or by enclosing the rods in ovens or cabinets heated by suitable means to the desired temperature. The extent to which the staple lengths produced will be curled will depend largely upon the tension under which they are wound on the rod, and the temperature at which the rod is maintained. For this purpose, a temperature of 50-100 centigrade or more up to the scorching point of the material is suitable for the production of staple lengths which may have a degree of curl ranging from semicircular to full circular.

The invention may be carried out continuously with the production of the filaments and, in the case of filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellplose, particular- 1y with their production by the dry or evaporative method. Alternatively, the filaments may be 7 taken from a bobbin or other package, or from a number of such packages to be woundon to the rods. r

The filaments may contain a small proportion of solvent material for the substance of the filaments at the point when they are wound round the heated rods. For example when the invention is carried out continuously with the production of filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose by the dry or evaporative method, the residual solvent contained in the filaments from the dry-spinning operation may be sufiicient to render the filaments plastic enough to take the desired permanent set when they are wound on to the heated rod. If desired, substances such as vinyl acetate, which maintain the filaments for a longer period in a slightly soft condition may be included in the spinning solution to enhance the efiect of residual solvent. Where the invention is carried out by taking the filaments from a package or a number of packages it may be desirable to apply solvent material to them prior to winding on the heated rod. Any suitable applying means may be used for this purpose, e. g. a wick,,a red or roller moistened with solvent material, or a chamber containing the vapour or a spray of solvent material, through which the filaments are passed.

Solvents suitable for rendering filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivativeof cellulose soft are low boiling solvents, such as acetone (commercially pure or mixed with water) ethylene dichloride and ethyl or methyl alcohol, dichlorethylene and ethyl or methyl alcohol etc, medium or high boiling solvents or plastifiers such as ethyl lactate, diacetone alco-' hol (alone or mixed with water or alcohol), dibutyl tartrate, or tricresyl phosphate, or mixtures thereof.

The Vstaple filaments produced accerding to the invention may be spun into yarns in the manner usually applied to staple lengths of natural materials, such as wool, cotton, or spun silk, and for this purpose they may be spun alone or mixed with natural staple fibers or fibers of other artificial materials. For example, curled staple fibers of cellulose acetate or other organic deriva tive of cellulose may be spun with staple fibers of viscose, nitrocellulose or cuprammonium silk or vice versa. The yarns may then be woven or knitted into fabrics or used for any other purpose.

The invention will now bedescribegi in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that this description is given by way of illustration only and is in no respect limitative. H

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically an arrangement for cutting staple fibers from filaments of cellulose acetatc proceeding direct from a spinning machine;

Fig. 2 shows on an enlarged scale the windin and cutting device;

Fig. 3 is a section through the winding and cutting device; and

Fig. 4 a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. d

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically an arrangement for cutting staple fibers from filaments drawn from bobbins.

Referring to Fig. 1, a thread of filaments 6 is drawn from the dry spinning cell 7 by means of a feed roller 8. The thread 6 proceeds from the roller 8 to a slotted roller 9 of smaller diameter, this roller being driven at a suitable speed to keep the threads taut or even to stretch them. If desired the threads may be passed over a wick or like device 10 before reaching the roller 9 in orderto receive an application of softening fiuid such as a mixture of acetone and. water and to reach the roller 9 in a somewhat softened condition. The threads are traversed along the roller 9 by means of a traverse guide 11 driven along the length of the roller in synchronism with a pair of knives 12 carried by and rotatable on a rod 13 passing through the axis of the roller, the knives 12 projecting be- H yond the face of the roller through aslot 14. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the guide 11 occupies a position mid-way between the knives 12 so that as the guide traverses in either direction it is followed at some little distance by one ,of the knives 12, which therefore serves to cut the filaments from the roller in lengths equal to the periphery of the roller. The roller 9 is of hollow construction and is 'provided with electric heating elements 14', the elements being supplied with current by means of brushes 15. The filaments are thereby rendered plastic and the turns of filaments are caused to retain a curved shape determined by the roller. The softening liquid applied by the wick 10 serves in conjunctionwith the appl ed heat to cause the filaments to set incurled form. The roller 9 is driven by means of a chain sprocket 16. If desired, the roller may have a cross-section other than circular. For example, it may be elliptical, the slot 14 preferably being in the major axis of the crosssection.

In order to remove from the vicinity of the roller 9 the staple fibers which have been cut therefrom, the roller is surrounded by a hood 1'? connected by a pipe 18 to a receiver charnber 19. Suction is applied to the chamber 19 by means of a pipe 20 having an outlet within the chamber surrounded by a bag 21 which permitsthe passage of air but causes the fibers to be retained within the chamber. The hood 17 is preferably provided with a hinged cover 22 to permit access tojthe roller 9.

Referringto Fig. 5, any desired number of filamentous threads 23' is drawn from bobbins 24 either by means of a feed roller as described with reference to Fig. 1, or directly bythe pulling action of the roller 9. The threads are assembled by means of a guide 25 and may be suitably tensioned on their way to the roller 9 by means of a seriesof staggered rods 26 constituting a gate tension device. The hood 17 may be provided with a heating jacket 27 supplied with hot air, water or steam or electrically heated to maintain the roller 9 heated. The heating thusv I effected may be iised alternatively with or in conjunction with heating applied internally of the roller, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4.

-What I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is: v

1. Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding artificial filaments on a rod of small periphery, allowing thefilaments while in a somewhatplastic state to remain on the rod for a snfiicient period to acquire a curved. set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

2. Process for the production of staple fibers, comprisng winding artificial filaments on a rod of small periphery and moistening' the filaments with a softening agent to bring them into a curl.

r for a sufficient period plastic state, then allowing them to remain in that, state on the rod for a sufiicient period to acquire a curved set, and then cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

3. Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding thermoplastic artificial filaments on' a rod of small periphery, heating the rodin order to render the filaments plastic, allowing the filaments while in a plastic state to remain'on the rod for a suficient period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent l Process for 'theproduction of staple fibers, comprising winding artificial filaments on a rod of small periphery under a tension in excess of thatrequired merely for winding, allowing the filaments while in a somewhat plastic state to remain .on the rod for a sufficient period to acquire a. c urved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl. 5,. Process for the production of staple fibers,

comprising winding artificial filaments containing a material adapted to maintain them in a plastic, sjtate on a rod of small periphery, allowing the. filaments while in their plastic state to remain on-the rod for a sufiicient period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl. k 6, Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding filaments of cellulose acetate on a rod of small periphery, allowing the filaments while in a somewhat plastic state to remain on the rod for a sufiifiicient period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

. 7.,Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding artificial filaments of celluloseacetate containing vinyl acetate to maintain them in a plastic state on a rod of small periphery,.allowing the filaments while in their plastic state to remain on the rod for a sufficient period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments 45 from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent. curl. I

a}. Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding a number of artificial filaments simultaneously on a rod of small periphery, allowing the filaments while in a somewhat plastic state to remain on the rod for a sufiicient period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

9. Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding artificial filaments on a rod of-small periphery, allowing the filaments while in a somewhat plastic state to remain on the rod to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod continuously with winding thereon, to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

10. Process for the production of staple fibers,

comprising winding artificial filaments on a rod of small periphery by traversing the filaments along the length of the rod in both directions,

while in a somewhat plasallowing the filaments a sufiicient ic state to remain on the rod for 7 period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the comprising winding artificial filaments continuously with their production on a rod of small periphery, allowing the filaments while in a somewhat plastic state to remain on the rod for a sufiicient period to acquire a curved set, and cutting the filaments from the rod to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

12. Process for the production of staple fibers, comprising winding artificial filaments on a rod of small periphery, allowing the filaments while in a somewhat plastic state to remain on the rod for a suflicient period to acquire a curved set, cutting the filaments from the rod continuously with winding thereon, to form staple fibers having a permanent curl and removing the staple fibers so formed by suction.

13. Process for the production of staple fibers, v

a rod of small periphery by traversing the filaments along the length of the rod in both directions and moistening the filaments with a softening agent to bring them into a plastic state, then allowing the filaments to remain on the rod in such plastic state for a suificient period to acquire a curved set, and then cutting the filaments from the rod continuously with winding them thereon at a point following behind the traversing point so as to form staple fibers having a permanent curl.

14. Apparatus for the production of staple fibers, comprising a rod of small periphery having a slot along its length, means for rotating said rod in order to wind; continuous filaments thereon, a .knife protruding through the slot in said rod, and means for traversing said knife along the length of the rod in order to out 01f the'filaments continuously with winding them on the rod.

15. Apparatus for the production of staple fibers, comprising a rod of small periphery having a slot along its length, means for rotating said rod, a guide adapted to lead continuous filaments to the rod, two knives protruding through said slot at points symmetrical with respect to said guide, and traversing means adapted to traverse the said guide and said knives along the rod alternately in opposite directions in order to wind the continuous filaments on the rod, and cut them continuously with winding after they have acquired a permanent curl.

16. Apparatus for the production of staple fibers, comprising a rod of small periphery, means for rotating said rod in order to wind continuous filaments thereon, means for cutting said continuous filaments from the rod after they have acquired a permanent curl due to the curvature of the rod; and means for applying a softening agent to the filaments as they are being wound on the rod.

17. Apparatus fibers, comprising a for the production of staple rod of small periphery having a slot along its length, means for rotating said rod in order to wind continuous filaments thereon, a knife protruding through the slot in said rod, means for traversing said knife along the length of the rod in order to cut off the filaments continuously with winding them on the rod, and suction means adapted to removethe staple fibers after they are cut from the rod.

18. Apparatus for the production of staple fibers, comprising a spinning apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, a rod of small periphery, means "for rotating said rod in order to wind the artificial filaments thereon continuously with their production, and means for cutrotating said rod in order to wind the filaments thereon, two knives protruding through the slot in said rod symmetrically disposed with respect to said guide, and traversing means adapted to traverse said guide and said knives in order to wind the filaments on the rod, and cut them therefrom continuously with winding after they have acquired a permanent curl.

' WILLIAM IVAN TAYLOR. 

